TVSquad

Here we go again. We have barely healed from the wounds that the Writers Guild of America strike opened up late last year, now it's the Screen Actors Guild's turn to make us nervous about the television we watch.

Yesterday, SAG representatives began negotiations with the Hollywood studios by swapping contract proposals between the two parties. This is the first time in nearly three decades that the Guild is negotiating solo with the studios since the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) has rejected combined talks. AFTRA is upset with the Guild over concerns that it is attempting to poach its members. The Guild is denying this accusation with the statement that it normally broils its members over a low flame with some butter sauce.

I guess those informal talks that the WGA and studios had last week paid off: we might have an end to the writers strike as early as next week.

The New York Times is reporting that sources (who want to remain anonymous, for obvious reasons) say that one of the main deals that the WGA was looking for - compensation for work that appears on the web - may be close to becoming a reality. No exact details are available yet, but the sources say that the deal could be finalized next week. Maybe this will deal will be in place in time for the Oscars later this month. The strike has been going on for almost four months now.

I just wonder how this affects this season. Is there still time to save this season or will we have to wait until the fall for new episodes?

John K wrote this on his blog recently: "The style of every scene in every cartoon I do depends on who is drawing the scene (both storyboard and layout), who painted the background and what the scene is about and how the artist and the characters are feeling at the moment."

Every animation studio seems to have its own unique style, whether it's Spumco, Disney, or Warner Brothers, but in reality, those cartoons are the work of several people who each bring their own unique style to the whole. Sixteen-year-old Thad K has set up a very cool blog dedicated to recognizing the styles of different animators. He already has two lengthy posts (including YouTube clips) dedicated to Tom and Jerry and Woody Woodpecker. Thad breaks the shorts down into segments, pointing out what each animator brought to the short. Perhaps going over these classic bits of animation with such a fine tooth comb extracts some of the fun from watching these cartoons, but I think it nicely reveals a depth these cartoons have which perhaps isn't as evident when viewing them casually.